Fans at the iconic Wankhede Stadium were treated to a special sight during the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 as legendary former captain MS Dhoni made a rare appearance in the stands during India’s clash against the England national cricket team on Thursday (March 5). Dhoni, who is rarely seen attending international matches as a spectator, was reportedly in Mumbai earlier in the day to attend the wedding of Arjun Tendulkar, son of Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.
After the ceremony, the former India skipper headed to the stadium with his wife Sakshi Dhoni to watch the high-stakes knockout clash. Social media quickly lit up after fans spotted Dhoni applauding a massive six from India captain Suryakumar Yadav.
In the 16th over, Surya went down on one knee and slogged a delivery from Adil Rashid over the leg side for a towering six. The broadcast cameras immediately panned to the stands, showing Dhoni and Sakshi clapping with smiles, a moment that instantly went viral among fans.
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Shortly after, former India captain Rohit Sharma was seen greeting the couple in the stands. The trio shared a warm hug and a brief conversation, adding another memorable moment to the evening. Rohit has been a regular presence at the tournament, serving as the competition’s ambassador after leading India to the title in 2024.
🥹🥹🥹🥹
This meetup 🔥🔥India’s best captain with MS Dhoni#INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/oJSLThkK4I
— Arti🇮🇳 (@ImArti45) March 5, 2026
Man I’m sitting at the Rcb bar & cafe Bengaluru. When ms Dhoni came in the big screen the crowd went wild and started chanting his name. Ms Dhoni will forever be the GOAT of this beautiful game. 🐐#MSDhoni #INDvsENG #Semifinal pic.twitter.com/g8y7AVMIXH
— Manoj nayak (@Nmanoj183) March 5, 2026
Interestingly, fans pointed out a quirky coincidence during the match. Each time Dhoni appeared on the big screen, India seemed to lose a wicket on the very next delivery. Suryakumar Yadav was stumped soon after one such moment, while Shivam Dube was run out shortly after Rohit’s interaction with Dhoni.
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Despite those hiccups, India produced a commanding batting performance. Powered by a brilliant 89 off 42 balls from Sanju Samson and quick contributions from Ishan Kishan, Dube, Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma, India piled up a massive 253/7 in 20 overs, setting England a daunting target in the semi-final.
